Steam for Linux

Games which are (1) on Steam (2) available for Linux (3) not available on Steam for Linux

I bought a large number of Humble Bundles, most of which provided cross-platform games (available for Windows, Mac _and_ Linux). For most of these games the Humble Bundle also offerd keys redeemable on Steam, which I obviously redeemed. To my surprise, only about _half_ of these games (which I redeemed on Steam) are available on Steam for Linux.

This is a (possibly incomplete) list of the games in my library which _are_ available on Linux (outside of Steam), _are_ on Steam, but _are not_ on Steam for Linux:

It should be a bet of effort versus revenue. I'd think if you've already got a game running on Linux, and you got it in the Steam catalogue, the effort should not be very high. So for games which should sell some units (I'd buy Limbo today!), it should be well worth the effort. On the other hand: You for example already own these games. They wouldn't earn a penny with you when offering them on Steam for Linux as well...

I'm uncertain if going to publishers and developers of Windows-only games and telling them we want a Linux version helps much. (Do it nevertheless!) But in these cases, going to the forums and keep asking for Steam version might be promising.

There will be different reasons. As far as I remember it is the publisher/author who has to initiate what has to be done. Valve only provides some infrastructure.

I think there is a statement from Eufloria for example that they work on a new version of the game which should then also come out for Linux.

Another game is also Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood which already has its age now - but is still a great game :) - However… there was once a Linux version – but the owner of the rights of that game wrote a statement in these forums that they are simply not planning to make a new Linux attempt. The Linux version then seems to have been made by a third party company and maybe realized with a wrapper… - but also long before Steam existed I think ;)

Would their Linux port happen to be by bundling a Wine version by any chance?

Because I think I remember reading that this practice was automatically redlighting the games for Linux release on Steam.

It's a bit of a mix. I don't have a detailed rundown for all those that I listed, but I would say that a majority are native ports. There are also a few which are based on Adobe AIR, and I think maybe one or two of them are actually WINE-based.

It should be a bet of effort versus revenue. I'd think if you've already got a game running on Linux, and you got it in the Steam catalogue, the effort should not be very high. So for games which should sell some units (I'd buy Limbo today!), it should be well worth the effort. On the other hand: You for example already own these games. They wouldn't earn a penny with you when offering them on Steam for Linux as well...

Well, they wouldn't earn a(nother) penny with me, but if they already _did_ the port, how much of an effort would it be to have it packaged for Steam too?

(I don't actually know the details about having your game integrate with Steam, so maybe there _is_ some effort involved, and they don't consider it worth it; maybe the SteamOS thing will make them change their idea though.)

"Lot" of games developed for Linux aren't yet on Steam. Isn't Valve who has to deal with it, the developer has to bring Linux version to Steam. Spiral Knights is an example. (And Burnout has not Linux version, like all EA titles...)

Maybe it's because developers of the ported game don't know how to go about fixing bugs, should bugs arise? Probably because they don't endorse Linux but simply provide a port anyway. If anything learning Linux isn't all that hard.